Noel Edmonds and wife called out after buying live lobsters from shop and releasing them into sea

Former Deal Or No Deal presenter Noel Edmonds has received backlash after he and his wife took action when they saw some lobsters in a tank at a farm shop.

The 77-year-old and his wife of 17 years Liz filmed themselves chucking the crustaceans in the water at Peel Harbour on the Isle of Man.

Taking to Instagram last week, Noel said he felt ‘uncomfortable’ seeing the lobsters sat in the water tank at The Farm Shop in Glen Helen and decided to set them free.

“All right, this is one of those more bizarre things that happens with us,” Noel, who presented Deal or No Deal on Channel 4 for 11 years, said.

“We were at a place where there were some lobsters in a tank, and we're a little bit uncomfortable about lobsters and tanks.

“So we bought the lobsters, and now Liz is going to release them. So here we go. Nice clear water in Peel Harbour.

“There they go! And we know this is nice fresh water because a moment ago a seal went past. Wonderful place.”

He then asked Liz: “Are you happy?” to which she replied: “Yes, I am!”

The problem with releasing lobsters into the sea

While attempting to do a good thing, experts advise against releasing supermarket or restaurant lobsters back into the ocean due to low survival rates.

The Scottish Government warns that American lobsters sold through the seafood trade can carry Gaffkaemia, a bacterial disease that threatens native European lobsters.

"Controls on the import of American lobsters (Homarus americanus) are in place to prevent the introduction and spread of the infectious disease Gaffkaemia," it states.

"Although pathogenic to the American lobster, the disease is far more destructive in the European lobster (Homarus gammarus) and can cause significant mortality within days in this species.

"In order to minimise this risk licences are required to deposit live or dead lobsters.”

What is the law in the UK?

Also according to the UK government website, ‘the animals cannot be released back into the sea once captured – this is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981’.

“Please report landings to the Fish Health Inspectorate on 01305 206 700 or by email. Record the species, numbers caught, sex and where the animals were caught,” they added.

“Animals can be landed but cannot be re-immersed - unless held in facilities which are compliant under the Lobster Deposit Order License.

“The animals can be sold direct for human consumption, as long as they are not re-immersed or re-introduced into the wild.”

Commenting on Noel's post, one user said: "Lovely sentiment, but from a marine biologist perspective it's best not to release captive lobsters."

Another penned: "They didn't have a chance the moment he removed them from tank."

Farm shop owner responds to Noel

Matt Harrison, owner of The Farm Shop in Glen Helen, said he is considering getting rid of the tank completely as a response.

He told Manx Radio that Edmonds had actually told him they were planning to release the lobster, and he advised them on how to do so safely.

He added of Edmonds' actions: "That's absolutely fine. As far as I'm concerned, that's a nice thing to do. No problem at all."

He slammed the backlash against Edmonds as 'incorrect, unfactual and unnecessary', and added that the lobsters had been caught locally just off Peel Harbour.

He went on: “At the moment the tank is still in the shop, but we've moved it.

“I'm sensitive to people's feelings.

“But the vast majority of people want us to keep it and for us to keep supporting local businesses, which is the whole point of the shop.

“I'm still mulling over whether to keep it. There are still lobsters in there; they're really healthy. We're just going to see what happens.

“But customers will be able to buy it in plenty of other places along the Peel seafront.”

On Instagram, he added the lobsters are never in his tank for more than two weeks, with the animals being rotated as they are sold, and the temperature in the tank being slightly colder than the sea.

He said: "When they were released in the harbour, in deep water... I don't know if a seal would have got them, I can't possibly comment on that, but they stood the best possible chance, and it's highly unlikely that they would have been temperature shocked into instant death."

LADbible Group has contacted Noel Edmonds and Liz Davies for comment.